# 1958–59 NCAA University Division men's basketball season

The 1958–59 NCAA University Division men's basketball season began in December 1958, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 1959 NCAA University Division basketball tournament championship game on March 21, 1959, at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky. The California Golden Bears won their first NCAA national championship with a 71–70 victory over the West Virginia Mountainneers.

## Season headlines

* The Middle Atlantic Conference began NCAA University Division play, with 10 of its members competing as University Division schools.
* In the 1959 NCAA University Division basketball tournament, Eddie Hickey of Marquette became the first head coach to take three different teams to the NCAA tournament. He had done it previously with Creighton in 1941 in his first year as head coach and with Saint Louis in 1952.
* The Pacific Coast Conference disbanded at the end of the season.

## Season outlook
### Pre-season polls

The Top 20 from the AP Poll and the UPI Coaches Poll during the pre-season.
Associated Press :
| Ranking | Team |
| 1 | Cincinnati |
| 2 | Kentucky |
| 3 | Kansas State |
| 4 | West Virginia |
| 5 | NC State |
| 6 | Tennessee |
| 7 | Kansas |
| 8 | Mississippi State |
| 9 | Saint Louis |
| 10 | Northwestern |
| 11 | Notre Dame |
| 12 | Auburn |
| 13 | North Carolina |
| 14 | Saint Mary's |
| 15 | Michigan State |
| 16 | Xavier |
| 17 | Marquette |
| 18 | SMU |
| 19 | Indiana |
| 20 (tie) | Oklahoma State |
| 20 (tie) | St. John's |
UPI Coaches :
| Ranking | Team |
| 1 | Cincinnati |
| 2 | Kansas State |
| 3 | Notre Dame |
| 4 | Kentucky |
| 5 | Michigan State |
| 6 | Washington |
| 7 | West Virginia |
| 8 | Xavier |
| 9 | Oklahoma State |
| 10 | St. John's |
| 11 | Maryland |
| 12 | NC State |
| 13 | Northwestern |
| 14 | North Carolina |
| 15 | Saint Joseph's |
| 16 | Saint Louis |
| 17 | Mississippi State |
| 18 | Purdue |
| 19 | Louisville |
| 20 | Iowa |

## Conference membership changes

| School | Former conference | New conference |
| Bucknell Bison | NCAA University Division independent | Middle Atlantic Conference |
| Canisius Golden Griffins | Western New York Little Three Conference | NCAA University Division independent |
| Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens | NCAA University Division independent | Middle Atlantic Conference |
| Gettysburg Bullets | NCAA University Division independent | Middle Atlantic Conference |
| La Salle Explorers | NCAA University Division independent | Middle Atlantic Conference |
| Lafayette Leopards | NCAA University Division independent | Middle Atlantic Conference |
| Lehigh Engineers | NCAA University Division independent | Middle Atlantic Conference |
| Muhlenberg Mules | NCAA University Division independent | Middle Atlantic Conference |
| Niagara Purple Eagles | Western New York Little Three Conference | NCAA University Division independent |
| Oklahoma State Cowboys | NCAA University Division independent | Big Eight Conference |
| Rutgers Scarlet Knights | NCAA University Division independent | Middle Atlantic Conference |
| St. Bonaventure Brown Indians | Western New York Little Three Conference | NCAA University Division independent |
| Saint Joseph's Hawks | NCAA University Division independent | Middle Atlantic Conference |
| Temple Owls | NCAA University Division independent | Middle Atlantic Conference |
| Washington and Lee Generals | Southern Conference | NCAA University Division independent |

## Regular season
### Conferences
#### Conference winners and tournaments

| Conference | Regular season winner | Conference player of the year | Conference tournament | Tournament venue (City) | Tournament winner |
| Atlantic Coast Conference | North Carolina & NC State | Lou Pucillo, NC State | 1959 ACC men's basketball tournament | Reynolds Coliseum (Raleigh, North Carolina) | NC State |
| Big Eight Conference | Kansas State | Bob Boozer, Kansas State | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Big Ten Conference | Michigan State | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Border Conference | Arizona State, New Mexico State, & Texas Western | | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Ivy League | Dartmouth | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Metropolitan New York Conference | Manhattan | | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Mid-American Conference | Bowling Green State | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Middle Atlantic Conference | Saint Joseph's | | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Missouri Valley Conference | Cincinnati | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Mountain States (Skyline) Conference | Utah | | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Ohio Valley Conference | Eastern Kentucky State | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Pacific Coast Conference | California | | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Southeastern Conference | Mississippi State | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Southern Conference | West Virginia | Jerry West, West Virginia | 1959 Southern Conference men's basketball tournament | Richmond Arena (Richmond, Virginia) | West Virginia |
| Southwest Conference | TCU | H. E. Kirchner, TCU | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| West Coast Athletic Conference | Saint Mary's | LaRoy Doss, Saint Mary's, & Leroy Wright, Pacific | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Yankee Conference | Connecticut | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |

#### Conference standings

1958–59 ACC men's basketball standings :
| 1958–59 ACC men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 6 NC State †12–2 .85722–4  .846 No. 9 North Carolina12–2 .85720–5  .800 Duke7–7 .50013–12  .520 Maryland7–7 .50010–13  .435 Virginia6–8 .42911–14  .440 Wake Forest5–9 .35710–14  .417 Clemson5–9 .3578–16  .333 South Carolina2–12 .1434–20  .167 † 1959 ACC tournament winner Rankings from AP Poll | 1958–59 Big Eight Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 1 Kansas State14–0 1.00025–2  .926 Oklahoma9–5 .64315–10  .600 Colorado8–6 .57114–10  .583 Kansas8–6 .57111–14  .440 Nebraska5–9 .35712–13  .480 Oklahoma State5–9 .35711–14  .440 Iowa State4–10 .2869–16  .360 Missouri3–11 .2146–19  .240 Rankings from AP Poll | 1958–59 Big Ten Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 7 Michigan State12–2 .85719–4  .826 Northwestern8–6 .57115–7  .682 Michigan8–6 .57115–7  .682 Purdue8–6 .57115–7  .682 Illinois7–7 .50012–10  .545 Indiana7–7 .50011–11  .500 Ohio State7–7 .50011–11  .500 Iowa7–7 .50010–12  .455 Minnesota5–9 .3578–14  .364 Wisconsin1–13 .0713–19  .136 Rankings from AP Poll |
| 1958–59 Border Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT New Mexico A&M7–3 .70017–11  .607 Arizona State–Tempe7–3 .70017–9  .654 Texas Western7–3 .70014–9  .609 West Texas State5–5 .5006–16  .273 Hardin–Simmons3–7 .30014–12  .538 Arizona1–9 .1004–22  .154 Rankings from AP Poll | 1958–59 Ivy League men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Dartmouth†13–1 .92922–6  .786 Princeton13–1 .92919–5  .792 Yale9–5 .64310–13  .435 Brown6–8 .42911–13  .458 Pennsylvania5–9 .35712–14  .462 Harvard4–10 .28610–15  .400 Cornell4–10 .2868–15  .348 Columbia2–12 .1433–21  .125 † Regular-season championship winner Rankings from AP Poll | 1958–59 Metropolitan New York Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Manhattan4–0 1.00015–6  .714 Brooklyn3–1 .7508–10  .444 St. John's4–2 .66720–6  .769 Fordham2–2 .50017–8  .680 NYU2–2 .50015–8  .652 CCNY1–6 .1436–12  .333 St. Francis (NY)0–3 .0005–18  .217 Rankings from AP Poll |
| 1958–59 Mid-American Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Bowling Green State9–3 .75018–8  .692 Miami (Ohio)9–3 .75014–11  .560 Ohio6–6 .50014–10  .583 Marshall6–6 .50012–12  .500 Kent State6–6 .50011–13  .458 Toledo5–7 .41711–13  .458 Western Michigan1–11 .0832–20  .091 Rankings from AP Poll | 1958–59 MAC men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 14 Saint Joseph's7–0 1.00022–5  .815 La Salle5–2 .71416–7  .696 Muhlenberg8–6 .57113–9  .591 Bucknell6–5 .54516–7  .696 Lafayette7–6 .53813–8  .619 Gettysburg4–5 .44413–13  .500 Delaware4–6 .4009–13  .409 Rutgers3–5 .3759–15  .375 Temple4–7 .3646–19  .240 Lehigh4–10 .2866–16  .273 Rankings from AP Poll | 1958–59 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 5 Cincinnati13–1 .92926–4  .867 No. 4 Bradley12–2 .85725–4  .862 No. 12 Saint Louis10–4 .71420–6  .769 Wichita Municipal7–7 .50014–12  .538 Houston6–8 .42912–14  .462 Drake4–10 .2869–15  .375 Tulsa2–12 .14310–15  .400 North Texas State2–12 .1436–18  .250 Rankings from AP Poll |
| 1958–59 Mountain States Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 18 Utah13–1 .92921–7  .750 Utah State10–4 .71419–7  .731 Denver10–4 .71414–10  .583 BYU8–6 .57115–11  .577 Montana7–7 .50010–14  .417 Colorado State6–8 .4298–14  .364 Wyoming1–13 .0714–22  .154 New Mexico1–13 .0713–19  .136 Rankings from AP Poll | 1958–59 Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Eastern Kentucky State10–2 .83316–6  .727 Western Kentucky State8–4 .66716–10  .615 Tennessee Tech7–5 .58316–9  .640 East Tennessee State5–7 .41713–10  .565 Morehead State5–7 .41711–12  .478 Middle Tennessee4–8 .3339–17  .346 Murray State3–9 .25010–15  .400 Rankings from AP Poll | 1958–59 Pacific Coast Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 11 California14–2 .87525–4  .862 Washington11–5 .68818–8  .692 UCLA10–6 .62516–9  .640 Stanford10–6 .62516–9  .640 USC8–8 .50015–11  .577 Oregon State7–7 .50013–13  .500 Idaho6–10 .37511–15  .423 Oregon3–13 .1889–16  .360 Washington State3–13 .18810–16  .385 Rankings from AP Poll |
| 1958–59 Southeastern Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 3 Mississippi State13–1 .92924–1  .960 No. 8 Auburn12–2 .85720–2  .909 No. 2 Kentucky12–2 .85724–3  .889 Georgia Tech9–5 .64317–9  .654 Tennessee8–6 .57114–8  .636 Vanderbilt8–6 .57114–10  .583 Tulane6–8 .42913–11  .542 Alabama6–8 .42910–12  .455 Georgia5–9 .35711–15  .423 LSU2–12 .14310–15  .400 Florida2–12 .1438–15  .348 Ole Miss1–13 .0717–17  .292 Rankings from AP Poll | 1958–59 Southern Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 10 West Virginia †11–0 1.00029–5  .853 Virginia Tech10–2 .83316–5  .762 The Citadel7–4 .63615–5  .750 William & Mary7–7 .50013–11  .542 Richmond6–8 .42911–11  .500 Furman5–7 .41714–12  .538 George Washington4–7 .36414–11  .560 Davidson2–8 .2009–15  .375 VMI2–11 .1545–13  .278 † Southern Conference Tournament winner Rankings from AP Poll | 1958–59 Southwest Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 16 TCU12–2 .85720–6  .769 SMU10–4 .71416–8  .667 Texas Tech8–6 .57115–9  .625 Baylor7–7 .50011–13  .458 Texas A&M6–8 .42915–9  .625 Arkansas6–8 .4299–14  .391 Rice5–9 .35711–13  .458 Texas2–12 .1434–20  .167 Rankings from AP Poll |
| 1958–59 West Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 15 Saint Mary's11–1 .91719–6  .760 Santa Clara9–3 .75016–9  .640 Pepperdine8–4 .66716–8  .667 Pacific6–6 .50011–15  .423 Loyola (Calif.)4–8 .3338–15  .348 San Francisco3–9 .2506–20  .231 San Jose State1–11 .0835–19  .208 Rankings from AP Poll | 1958–59 Yankee Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Connecticut 8–2 .80017–7  .708 Maine 7–3 .70015–7  .682 Massachusetts 5–5 .50011–13  .458 Rhode Island 5–5 .5008–12  .400 Vermont 4–6 .40012–10  .545 New Hampshire 1–9 .1009–14  .391 |

### University Division independents

A total of 42 college teams played as University Division independents. Among them, St. Bonaventure (20–3) had the best winning percentage (.870) and Marquette (23–6) finished with the most wins.
1958–59 NCAA University Division men's basketball independents standings :
* 1958–59 NCAA University Division men's basketball independents standings
* vteConfOverall
* TeamW L PCTW L PCT
* No. 19 St. Bonaventure– –20–3
* .870
* Saint Francis (Pa.)– –20–5
* .800
* No. 20 Marquette– –23–6
* .793
* No. 13 Seattle– –21–6
* .778
* Idaho State– –21–7
* .750
* Navy– –18–6
* .750
* Boston University– –20–7
* .741
* No. 17 Oklahoma City– –20–7
* .741
* Providence– –20–7
* .741
* Memphis State– –17–6
* .739
* Miami (Fla.)– –18–7
* .720
* Villanova– –18–7
* .720
* Portland– –19–8
* .704
* Niagara– –15–7
* .682
* Butler– –19–9
* .679
* Iona– –14–7
* .667
* Boston College– –17–9
* .654
* Louisville– –19–12
* .613
* Air Force– –14–9
* .609
* Syracuse– –14–9
* .609
* Army– –14–10
* .583
* Seton Hall– –13–10
* .565
* Holy Cross– –14–11
* .560
* Penn State– –11–9
* .550
* DePaul– –13–11
* .542
* Duquesne– –13–11
* .542
* Dayton– –14–12
* .538
* Montana State– –12–13
* .480
* Notre Dame– –12–13
* .480
* Xavier– –12–13
* .480
* Loyola (Ill.)– –11–13
* .458
* Detroit– –11–14
* .440
* Gonzaga– –11–15
* .423
* Pittsburgh– –10–14
* .417
* Washington University– –9–13
* .409
* Loyola (La.)– –10–16
* .385
* Colgate– –7–12
* .368
* Florida State– –8–15
* .348
* Georgetown– –8–15
* .348
* Canisius– –7–16
* .304
* Siena– –3–16
* .158
* Washington and Lee– –1–15
* .063
* Rankings from AP Poll

### Informal championships

| Conference | Regular season winner | Most Valuable Player |
| Philadelphia Big 5 | Saint Joseph's | Joe Spratt, Saint Joseph's |
Saint Joseph's finished with a 4–0 record in head-to-head competition among the Philadelphia Big 5.

### Statistical leaders
## Post-season tournaments
### NCAA tournament
#### Final Four

| National semifinals | National semifinals | National semifinals | National finals | National finals | National finals |
| E | West Virginia | 94 | | | |
| ME | Louisville | 79 | | | |
| ME | Louisville | 79 | E | West Virginia | 70 |
| | | | W | California | 71 |
| MW | Cincinnati | 58 | W | California | 71 |
| W | California | 64 | Third place | Third place | Third place |
| | | | ME | Louisville | 85 |
| | | | MW | Cincinnati | 98 |

### National Invitation tournament
#### Semifinals & finals

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals |
| Bradley | 59 | | |
| NYU | 57 | | |
| NYU | 57 | Bradley | 71 |
| | | St. John′s | 76 |
| Providence | 55 | St. John′s | 76 |
| St. John's | 76 | Third place | Third place |
| | | NYU | 71 |
| | | Providence | 57 |

## Awards
### Consensus All-American teams

Consensus First Team :
| Player | Position | Class | Team |
| Bob Boozer | F | Senior | Kansas State |
| Johnny Cox | G | Senior | Kentucky |
| Bailey Howell | F | Senior | Mississippi State |
| Oscar Robertson | G | Junior | Cincinnati |
| Jerry West | G | Junior | West Virginia |
Consensus Second Team :
| Player | Position | Class | Team |
| Leo Byrd | G | Senior | Marshall |
| Johnny Green | F | Senior | Michigan State |
| Tom Hawkins | F | Senior | Notre Dame |
| Don Hennon | G | Senior | Pittsburgh |
| Al Seiden | G | Senior | St. John's |

### Major player of the year awards

* Helms Player of the Year: Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati
* UPI Player of the Year: Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati
* Oscar Robertson Trophy (USBWA): Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati
* Sporting News Player of the Year: Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati

### Major coach of the year awards

* Henry Iba Award: Eddie Hickey, Marquette
* NABC Coach of the Year: Eddie Hickey, Marquette
* UPI Coach of the Year: Adolph Rupp, Kentucky

### Other major awards

* Robert V. Geasey Trophy (Top player in Philadelphia Big 5): Joe Spratt, Saint Joseph's
* NIT/Haggerty Award (Top player in New York City metro area): Al Seiden, St. John's

## Coaching changes

A number of teams changed coaches during the season and after it ended.
| Team | Former Coach | New Coach |
| Loyola (LA) | Hank Kuzma | Bill Gardiner |
| Minnesota | Osborne Cowles | John Kundla |
| West Texas State | Borden Price | Metz LaFollette |